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New Economy Roundup: Health Equity, Solar Power in Puerto Rico, The Thingery

03/15/2018 - 1:53am

This week we’re talking about building healthy communities by building healthy homes, the power of black-owned credit unions, and a transition to solar power in Puerto Rico.

Plus: Registration for our biennial conference, CommonBound, is now open! Check out CommonBound.org for location, details, and get your tickets here!

Stories From the Field

Building Health: Buffalo has the second oldest housing stock in the country, which means homes often need a little extra TLC. But if residents are stuck in situations they cannot change, health inequity arises, says the National Academy of Medicine. Watch NAM’s video on how NEC member, Push Buffalo, is making change possible by assisting residents in renovating and repairing their aging dwellings.

Banking Power: After facing decades of disinvestment and targeting by powerful financial institutions, African-American-owned credit unions could offer a way to build economic power and grow black wealth by building “our own structures for investment in our home communities.” The newly launched Village Trust Credit Union in Minneapolis does just that. Read about Village Trust and the power of black-owned banks here.

Solar Powered: A CDFI made the nation’s first community solar project owned by a housing authority, and the largest low-income community solar garden in Colorado possible. Here’s how solar energy is powering affordable housing.

Solidarity Economies Abroad

Women in Struggle: The National Liberation Zapatista Army hosted thousands of women from around the world for the “First International Gathering of Politics, Art, Sport, and Culture for Women in Struggle.” The event, which took place March 8-10, was intended to be a celebration of women's struggle for liberation and share skills. Read more here.

Seeking Solar: Post Hurricane Maria, Jesus Obrero Cooperative for Savings & Credit - part of Puerto Rico’s own network of credit unions - is helping bring Puerto Rico fully back on the (energy) grid and making sure it stays there with solar power. Read how community financial institutions are financing a transition to clean and dependable energy here.

The Thingery: The Vancouver Tool Library recently launched the Thingery project: a network of self-service "community-owned library of things." Much like a public library network, the Thingery’s are located around neighborhoods but to deal with Vancouver’s sprawl, they’re housed in shipping containers. Read more about the Thingery project here.

Sol Collective and the Sol Life Media cooperative label continue sparking movement in Austin, TX at SXSW by partnering for the 4th official Global Local Showcase with indigenous music culture curators, Revolutions Per Minute at the Speakeasy (412 N. Congress Avenue, Austin TX) on Saturday, March 17th from 8pm - 2am.

Building Blocks (formerly Session 1) provides a thorough but introductory overview into the field of cooperative development. This session lays out the basics of the cooperative model, including governance, feasibility, business basics, and memberships. Additionally, tours to local Madison co-ops and ample networking opportunities this intensive, productive, and meaningful training. Check out some past agendas. (Madison. March 16)

Asian American Solidarity Economies presents the 2018 Solidarity Economy Webinar Series. The first of five webinars will introduce the framework of solidarity economy, its history and contemporary practice, and examples in the Asian American immigrant and refugee experience. Speakers include Emily Kawano of US Solidarity Economy Network and Julia Ho of Solidarity Economy St. Louis. Facilitators include, Yvonne Yen Liu of Solidarity Research Center and Parag Khandhar of Asian American Solidarity Economies. (Online, March 19)

On June 22-24, 2018, over 700 people across the new economy movement will come together in St. Louis, MO for CommonBound 2018 to connect with one another, share our resources, and demonstrate our power in creating systems that truly meet the needs of our communities. In past years, CommonBound has answered the questions of what is a new economy, why do we need one, and who is it building it. Next June, CommonBound will connect these threads and focus on another question: How do we build a new economy? Registration is now open! Scholarships available. (St. Louis, MO, June 22 - 24)